Sensitive Love
by stephfarrow94
Summary: After a night of experimentation causes a rift between Jyuushiro and Shunsui, who will heal the damage in Jyuushiro's heart caused by the very-straight Kyoraku? Two-thousand years is a long time to be in love with someone who will never return your feelings, after all. Yaoi, one-sided ShunUki, UkiHitsu, angst. FIRST CHAPTER FIXED!
1. Chapter 1

**EDIT: I apologise for anyone who has read this chapter since I updated it; it was brought to my attention that I had accidentally copied over the unfinished file instead of fixing up the completed one. It is now fixed and I apologise for any inconvenience. **

Jyuushiro honestly hadn't been surprised when Shunsui suggested that they should experiment with each other. They already did everything else together; why not investigate with each other, too? The pale boy honestly didn't know what orientation he was; despite having been at the Academy for several years already, he hadn't found himself attracted to _anyone. _He wasn't sure if he just hadn't met the right person or he was too busy in his studies, but he found it bothersome not knowing what gender he liked.

Shunsui, however, just seemed to be curious. He had already slept with probably half of the females in their year level and some from the lower levels, but he wanted to know what it would be like with a male.

Currently, the two boys were sitting in Shunsui's dorm room, having just finished their classes for the day. Shunsui was as bright as ever, sipping at the sake bottle he had pulled out from under the bed as he happily discussed their plans for the evening.

"So, I was thinking that you would be the girl and all, Jyuu," Shunsui said, shrugging nonchalantly as if there was _no way _Jyuushiro would disagree with this.

Jyuushiro frowned. "Why do _I _have to be the girl?"

"Because I'm experienced and you're not." Shunsui flicked his friend's nose. "Besides, you look like a girl already now that you're growing your hair out."

Jyuushiro mumbled in reluctant agreement before he sighed. He stood up and pulled his shirt off, not really knowing what he was doing but wanting to please his best friend.

Shunsui watched in interest as the clothes came off Jyuushiro's skinny body. He had seen his friend naked before countless times for one reason or another, but he had never scrutinised the fragile Shinigami like this before.

Jyuushiro's body was skinny, as expected of someone with such a debilitating illness like him, but it reminded Shunsui greatly of a woman's body. The brunet crossed his legs and held his arms out, inviting his friend onto his lap. His hands moved along the frail chest, rubbing against sensitive nubs with tender movements.

Jyuushiro bit his lip and looked away, stifling a moan. He felt pressure rise in his groin at the action, feelings he had never experienced before making themselves known.

"S-shunsui..." Jyuushiro's eyes slipped closed as he pressed closer to the hand that was touching him. His tongue licked at his lips as the heat he was feeling grew.

Shunsui wasn't sure how he felt about this. He liked Jyuushiro's body because of the resemblance to a woman's, but knowing that he was fondling a male made him uncomfortable. He pushed the thoughts to the back of his mind and continued on, trailing his hand down Ukitake's body.

Jyuushiro's eyes widened and his hips snapped forwards when a hand grabbed his member, feeling as if he were about to drown in pleasure. He cried out, calling for Shunsui as the hand pumped him a few times, such foreign feelings making him act in ways he had never thought he would.

This just made Kyōraku feel even more uncomfortable with the situation, but he pressed on, hoping that it would be better. He had to admit that he was completely fine when the situations were reversed and it was _him _who was receiving curious touches, but otherwise, he didn't like what they were doing together.

Jyuushiro's green eyes locked with grey ones as his face heated up, embarrassed greatly as he started to speak. "...Do you... I-I mean... Can I give... you.."

Shunsui just laughed when the younger male looked away, clearly more embarrassed than he would let on. He knew what his friend wanted, though, and he wasn't against it. He nodded, a soft smile on his face.

"Of course, Jyuu," Shunsui said, reaching out to caress the pale cheek. "You can do whatever you want right now."

Jyuushiro swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded. He leant down, his trembling hand grabbing the hard shaft before him. He nodded, more to himself than anyone else, as if to reassure himself that everything would be okay.

Shunsui glanced down at his friend, being no stranger to this act of intimacy. He had done it many times before, but it would be his first time doing it with a male.

Jyuushiro took the member into his mouth, uncertain at first, but feeling confident when his best friend let out a loud moan. He took in more of the thickness, struggling to take it all in. He got half-way when he realised that if he took in any more, he would choke and be unable to breathe, risking a coughing attack.

Shunsui's fingers entangled in short white hair as he encouraged the younger to keep going, sensing that Jyuushiro was enjoying what he was doing. "Jyuu, you're... Wow..."

Jyuushiro smiled around the shaft in his mouth, reaching up with his left hand to wrap it around what he couldn't fit into his mouth. He squeezed gently before he moved his hand up and down, drawing out loud groans from the older male.

"J-jyuu..." Shunsui grunted as he bucked his hips into his friend's mouth. "Fuck...!"

Jyuushiro's eyes widened and he pulled back as he gagged at this action. He was instantly pulled against a very naked chest as he coughed, hands rubbing his back in a soothing manner.

"Are you okay?" Shunsui asked.

Ukitake nodded, gathering control of his breathing. He looked down at Shunsui's hard member, seeing the way it was still standing proud, covered in his saliva. He blushed, hoping that the favour would be returned to him.

"Could you..." Jyuushiro moaned, hiding his face against Shunsui's chest in embarrassment.

Shunsui tensed at this request, knowing what was wanted of him, but wanting no part in it. Just the thought of... of going that far... on a _male... _He shook his head. "...S-sorry, Jyuu... I'm not comfortable with that..."

Jyuushiro pouted, but he didn't press the issue; he understood. They were experimenting, after all; they weren't lovers, not even boyfriends.

Kyōraku quickly moved them on to the next stage; preparation. He felt slightly nauseas at the idea of penetrating his best friend, but he wanted to do it for Jyuu, not just himself.

"Tell me if this hurts," Shunsui said as he pressed his first lubricated finger inside of Ukitake.

Jyuushiro shifted in discomfort, but it didn't really hurt him. He felt strange, feeling a digit wriggling around inside of him, but it wasn't making him uneasy or anything; there was something about this that he liked.

The white-haired boy hissed as the second finger was added, shifting tenderly as this caused significantly more stress on his body. He felt Shunsui scissoring against his walls but, again, he liked the sensations this gave him.

Tears streamed down the younger's face as the third finger was added and, once Shunsui had entered him fully, buried to the sheathe, he found it difficult to breathe, the pain very different than the one he had to live with.

"S-shunsui...!" Jyuushiro sobbed, his fingers digging into Shunsui's back. His face rested against the strong chest as he tried to control himself, hating to show himself as weak, but he couldn't help it; this was a pain he hadn't experienced before.

"Shh..." Shunsui couldn't help but admit that Jyuushiro's tears were turning him off – no, maybe it wasn't just his friend; maybe it was the entire situation. He had already worked out that males just weren't for him, but he could tell that this was meaning something to his friend, and that was enough to keep him going.

When at last the pain started to recede for Jyuushiro, he nodded his head, tensing as he gave Shunsui the okay to move. He cried out as the pain returned, worse than before, feeling as if he were being torn open. He cried, wishing that the pain would stop.

"Shunsui, i-it hurts...!" Jyuushiro whimpered, his nails drawing blood from the brunet.

Kyōraku sighed. He was only half-aroused, not into this at all, and he wondered if he should stop now for both of their sakes.

"Do you want me to pull out?" Shunsui offered, hoping that the younger would say yes. He was sorely disappointed when the other only said to keep going.

Just when Shunsui felt as if he couldn't go any further, he must have hit that special spot inside of Jyuushiro, because the white-haired boy yelped as his eyes widened, his legs twisting around the brunet and holding him tight.

"T-there!" Ukitake whimpered, still overwhelmed by that unexpected burst of pleasure.

Shunsui aimed where he knew was good for his friend, studying the way Jyuushiro reacted. The pale Shinigami's eyes were wide as moan after moan ripped from his body. He looked down, seeing a shaking hand snaking between their bodies in order to pump the slighter boy in time with the thrusts. He couldn't help but recoil at this sight, unable to keep going.

Jyuushiro didn't even seem to notice Shunsui pull out of his body; he just cried out as he pumped himself into his climax, his sweat-stained body quivering as he rode out of his orgasm.

Shunsui sat beside his friend, feeling disgusting with what he had done. He should have stopped when he realised that boys weren't something he was interested in, but his love for his friend had kept him going, and now he just felt repulsed by the younger.

Jyuushiro didn't seem to notice the way his friend's face was drained of all colour and instead rested his head on Shunsui's thigh, so lost in euphoria that he spoke his mind.

"Shunsui, I'm in love with you," Jyuushiro breathed happily, not thinking about the negative reaction this could have on his friend. "Thank you; you helped me realise my feelings for you."

Shunsui _gagged _at these words. He pushed his friend away and stood up before he rushed into the bathroom and vomited into the toilet, leaving a startled Jyuushiro alone.

Jyuushiro's eyes welled up with tears as he realised that his feelings hadn't been returned. He stood up and dragged himself over to the bed in the corner of the room, tears trailing down his face. He wrapped himself in the blanket and laid down, trying not to break down; it had taken intimacy for him to realise what he truly felt and, just minutes later, he had been rejected in such a cruel manner.

Jyuushiro knew that Shunsui wasn't going to come out of the bathroom anytime soon, so he allowed himself to cry quietly, not wanting to show Shunsui just how badly he had been hurt. He eventually cried himself to sleep, the ache in his heart present even within his dreams.

_**~~The next morning~~**_

The next morning, Jyuushiro had woken up to find his best friend sleeping in an uncomfortable angle on the chair, having left the younger male alone in the bed.

Jyuushiro sighed and glanced down at his lap, trying not to cry. He had been so stupid to believe that Shunsui could love him back, so why had he realised, in the throes of passion, that Shunsui was the only one he loved?

As silently as he could manage, Ukitake slipped out of bed. He winced at the pain in his backside, but he continued on with his task of getting dressed. Once he was sure all items of his were back on his body, he glanced over at Shunsui, his heart aching as he looked at the peaceful expression the brunet wore while sleeping.

As soon as the bedroom door clicked closed, Shunsui awoke. He knew, without even opening his eyes, that Jyuushiro was gone. He knew he had handled things the wrong way last night, but he didn't know what else to do. Why had he even suggested something as stupid as experimentation in the first place? He just hoped that he would be able to talk things out with his friend and go back to the way they were before – but deep down in his heart, he knew things would never be the same between them.


	2. Chapter 2

**To everyone who has read the previous chapter, please go re-read it. I had forgotten to copy over the last part from the separate document I had written on my school laptop. It's added now, and it's important. You just need to read the bit after the line break.**

Yamamoto was curious as to why Shunsui was the only one who had shown up to the private lesson that afternoon. Ukitake and Kyōraku were inseparable, one never seen without the other. Even during one of the frailer boy's attacks, Shunsui was right by his side, nursing him back to health every step of the way.

So why now was Shunsui showing up alone with a glum expression on his face?

"Where is Jyuushiro?" Yamamoto asked, leaning against his Zanpakutō as he observed his student curiously.

"..." Shunsui fidgeted uncomfortably, noticed by his hawk-eyed sensei. "...He's not feeling well..."

Yamamoto knew he was being lied to, and that was something he couldn't stand. He raised his Zanpakutō, the blade in the guise of the staff, and whacked his student across the head with it. "Do not lie to me, boy. Did something happen between you?"

Shunsui stood still, fighting back tears of shame. He was young, and he didn't have the life experiences older people like his sensei had. He had never been an emotional person, but Jyuushiro was his best friend, his confident, his _world. _The thought of not having the younger male by his side as he chased after girls and played pranks on his fellow students – especially their teacher – made him want to curl up and cry.

"Yama-jii..." Shunsui looked at his father-figure, wrapping his arms around himself. Yamamoto was the one person in his life who he thought of as a father. His family had shipped him off to the Academy the first chance they got but, even before that, his father had never been a_ true_ father to him. But Yamamoto had taken him and Jyuushiro in, treating them like the sons he had never had, inspiring Shunsui to look up to him as the father _he_ had never had.

Yamamoto sighed when Shunsui dropped his Zanpakutō so that he could wipe at his eyes. He approached the brunet and reached out, putting his hand on the boy's shoulder. He had never been a man of emotion, but he knew something must have happened to reduce the laid-back Kyōraku to tears, much less be without his best friend.

"What happened, Shunsui...?" Yamamoto asked, his voice gruff, but Shunsui knew his sensei cared. The old man was taken aback when strong arms wrapped around him. He had seen his student become physical with his fellow students on a number of occasions, his arms seemingly glued around Ukitake's shoulder or when he was flirting shamelessly with a female, but it was the first time he had witnessed the boy seek out comfort in such a manner – no; it was the first time he had seen Shunsui seek out comfort altogether.

"...Yama-jii..." Shunsui's voice was thick with the tears he was fighting back. "...Yama-jii, I did something so stupid... But I can't tell you, or... you'll think so poorly of me..."

Yamamoto didn't reply to this – he didn't know _how. _What was he supposed to say? Yes, Shunsui, I _will _think poorly of you and perhaps hate you if you tell me. No, he couldn't say that. Shunsui, I'm always here to listen to you if you need me. That would be lying; Yamamoto wasn't someone to get involved with emotions. This was harder than he had thought.

Shunsui pulled away at the silence. For the first time in his life, he was _afraid. _He may have just lost his best friend; he couldn't lose his _teacher, _too! Running over to where his Zanpakutō lay, Shunsui threw several apologies over his shoulder before he disappeared back the way he had come from.

Yamamoto didn't chase after him; why would he? Shunsui would a big boy and he could take care of himself; he didn't need to be coddled or have his hand held. Without a second thought, he returned back to the Academy, knowing that there was no point staying out here; Shunsui had left and Jyuushiro probably wouldn't show up at this rate. He may as well return back to his room and work on the reports he had to write about his two personal students' progress.

_**~~In Jyuushiro's room~~**_

Jyuushiro wasn't used to staying in bed all day doing nothing; that was more in Shunsui's area of expertise. But today, he just didn't want to do _anything. _He felt as if his heart had been ripped out of his chest but, no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't stop thinking about his best friend. He couldn't bring himself to attend the training session solely for the brunet and himself; he was honestly scared of facing the object of his affection.

"Shunsui..." Jyuushiro moaned. Why was this so hard? He was such a happy, optimistic person and he had no reason to be down in the dumps. "...Shunsui..."

When a knock sounded on his bedroom door, Jyuushiro found himself, for the first time in his life, wanting to be alone. He turned on his side, his back to the door, and he pulled the covers over his head. But when the knock sounded again, he knew who it was.

"...C-come in..." Jyuushiro called, trying to rub the tears out of his eyes and pretend that he wasn't hurt at all by Shunsui's reaction.

The door opened slowly and a messy brunet head soon poked into the room. Shunsui looked around, confused as to why Jyuushiro would be in bed like this, but he then remembered what Jyuushiro had told him last night. Man, he had really fucked up.

"Jyuushiro, can we talk about this, please?" Shunsui asked, closing the door behind him. He glanced around the room, almost as if he were frightened someone would be in there, listening in.

The lump under the blanket was still for a few seconds before it slowly rose, a messy head of white hair appearing. The younger male kept his back to Shunsui, pulling his knees to his chest as he rested his chin on them. "...Talk about what...? There's nothing to talk about..."

"Bullshit." Shunsui made his way over to the bed, but he hesitated before he sat down. He knew he was being stupid, but he was _afraid _to get close to his best friend. He didn't know what it was about the smaller boy, but something about Jyuushiro's confession had made him disgusted by the idea of physical contact with the ill male. "I hurt you. I know I did. I shouldn't have reacted the way I did, but... I honestly discovered –_ before _we even got so far – that I just don't like boys, Jyuu. I know I should have stopped it when I started feeling uncomfortable, but I didn't. And I'm sorry."

"...Why didn't you...?" Jyuushiro whispered. His shoulders trembled before he spoke again. "...Why'd you let it go so far...?"

"...I wanted to keep going for _you, _Jyuu..." Shunsui whispered back. "...I knew you didn't know your orientation, and I just wanted to help you..."

"...You should have _stopped...!" _Jyuushiro sounded as if he were crying again. "...You should have stopped so I didn't realise how much I love you... If you did, I wouldn't be in this pain..."

"Jyuu..." Shunsui reached out, ready to put his hand on the frail shoulder – something he had done many times before – but then stopped, wincing in repulsion. It was true he had never met someone who was gay before, and he had believed he had no problems with them. Well, he was half-right. He accepted gays for who they were – but when they started lusting for _him... _ Well, lines had to be drawn.

"...Can't you love me back, Shunsui...?" Jyuushiro knew he was pleading, but he couldn't stop himself. He was desperate for the older boy. He understood that Shunsui was straight and he accepted that; it made the brunet who he was. But after having discovered just how much his heart ached for Shunsui's embrace... "...Please...?"

"I can't..." Shunsui frowned; he didn't want to hurt his friend, but he couldn't return the other's feelings. He _couldn't. _"...Jyuu, I _can't."_

"...I don't care if you don't love me back..." Jyuushiro couldn't stop the tears falling down his cheeks. "...Please... Y-you can use my body if you want, o-or anything you _want, _Shunsui... J-just... at least tell me... you _love _me... Even if you don't mean it..."

Shunsui sighed. He knew that this would be hard, but he had no choice. He had to leave before his abhorrence towards Jyuushiro's feelings got the better of him and he made another mistake like he did last night. "...I have to go, Jyuu... I'm sorry, but I have to... I don't want to _hurt _you..."

Jyuushiro just bit his lip as he watched Shunsui leave his room. He curled back up underneath the blankets and cried his heart out, hating the feeling of unrequited love.

But why was Ukitake feeling so _weak...? _He had _never _felt so stupid before over something so silly. He was used to females asking him out on dates, and the odd male hitting on him, but he had never felt pain other than the guiltiness associated with having to turn them down. But now... he was acting like a toddler not getting the toy it wanted from the store. For the first time in his life, Jyuushiro found himself crying over something he couldn't have.

Maybe more damage had been done the previous night than either of them had realised.


	3. Chapter 3

**This is a rather short chapter as it will be leading to the time skip, so the next chapter will be longer to make up for it.**

Things hadn't gotten better between Shunsui and Ukitake; it anything, they had gotten worse, especially due to the fact that neither of them wanted to give up their friendship. For Shunsui, he felt filthy for having even considered touching his friend which lead to him increasing the amount of sex he had, and to Jyuushiro, it left nothing but the pain that consumed him daily, making him want to end his life, feeling unwanted, _dirty _even.

"Shunsui, for the last time...!" Yamamoto was about ready to set Ryujin Jakka on Shunsui, fed up with the brunet acting as if the younger boy was a leper. Despite the brave face Jyuushiro donned most of the time, he knew it was hurting Ukitake more than anything else ever would.

Jyuushiro's head was bowed where he stood tensely, trying to pretend that his best friend refusing to even go _near _him during training was not painful. In truth, he didn't want to live without Shunsui, and if the older boy were acting like this, what _was _the point of living? He was ill, leaving him with a life he would never be able to live to the fullest – so why even bother trying if he couldn't share it with the one he loves? "...It's alright, Genryusai-sensei..."

Yamamoto felt bad for Jyuushiro – he really did. It had already been six months since whatever had happened between them... happened. Jyuushiro had sought him out on a number of occasions and, though he had never said exactly what had caused the rift, he had sobbed about how it was all his fault and that he was so stupid.

It wasn't that Yamamoto didn't care – but he more often than not sent Jyuushiro out of the room, telling him to get over what had happened and move on. He didn't have the emotions necessary to deal with his two students' issues.

"That's enough for the day," Yamamoto said, knowing that this training exercise was going nowhere. "We'll continue again tomorrow tonight, but for now get some rest."

Shunsui nodded, turning to face his friend. He waited until Jyuushiro was close to him before he started walking, feeling uncomfortable so close to the much smaller male.

Jyuushiro was quiet until they returned back to their dorm room. He immediately climbed onto his bed and curled up in the blankets, feigning sleepiness. He tried so hard to shrug off the unclean, unwanted feelings Shunsui's rejection had inflicted upon him, but it was just too hard.

Shunsui just stared for a few seconds before he sighed and spoke. "Jyuu, I'm gonna be gone tonight; I have a date."

"...Oh... Okay..." Jyuushiro knew he shouldn't be upset; Shunsui had been dating long before they attempted to experiment together. Well... by dating, Jyuushiro meant a one-night stand in order to have sex.

Shunsui nodded, not knowing what else needed to be said. He turned back around and put his hand on the doorknob. "...Well... See you tomorrow..."

Jyuushiro fought back his tears once again and got out of the bed once he heard the door click shut behind his love. He knew he shouldn't but he couldn't help but follow the older male. He had started following Shunsui whenever the other left to have sex, needing to hear the brunet's pleasured voice again and again. He didn't know what had driven him to this, but it was the only thing that stopped him wanting to die. It made him feel safe, like he had something to continue living for, even if it were just to see Shunsui smile.

The frail boy stalked the brunet through the Academy corridors, keeping just out of sight of the taller male as he did so. He waited until Shunsui stopped outside of a dorm room, watching with a heavy heart as the door was opened and one of the female students immediately pulled Kyōraku into a deep kiss.

Jyuushiro did his best to keep his tears inside as he witnessed the older male disappearing into the room, knowing what was going to be happening. Relieved that this particular room was on the ground level, Jyuushiro crept out of the Academy building and made his way to where he knew the window to that particular dorm room was situated.

Ukitake sat outside, hidden by one of the large bushes, fighting back moans as he pleasured himself to the scene of Kyōraku making love to one of the girls he knew got around. He couldn't help but imagine himself in the female's position, being the one Shunsui held with such tender care, but he knew it would never happen again. He knew that his best friend was straight and would never touch him in such a way again, and all he could do was hold onto the memory he had of their time together.

Jyuushiro released seconds after his best friend seemed to have, but all he could do was ignore the fluid spurting everywhere and curl up on the green grass, letting his tears flow as the pain overwhelmed him. Was this what he had been reduced to? A voyeuristic pervert who needed to pretend the one he loved most was being intimate with him just to feel _better? _Maybe it washed away his problems while he was masturbating to Shunsui's act, but when it was all over, those feelings came back.

_Dirty. Unwanted. Unloved. _


	4. Chapter 4

**The rest of this fic is travelling around the new chapters of the manga, so back when Isshin is the Captain of the Tenth Division. Seeing as we're still in that flashback and haven't seen much of Soul Society during that time just yet, I'll make up a bit as I go along until more is revealed. **

**Having done the maths for this, I've come to the conclusion that Kaien has already died, but don't ask me how I came to this conclusion because I'm not too sure myself. So if I'm contradicted by the manga, I'll work with what I'm given.**

Countless centuries had passed since Ukitake and Kyōraku had graduated from the Academy and became Captains of their own respective Divisions. During those centuries, Jyuushiro had chased after his best friend, so in love with him it _killed _him inside to be avoided like he was the plague.

They both were still best friends, but Shunsui was so distant from Jyuushiro, the younger male sometimes wondered why he was trying so hard. The brunet just wouldn't allow them to touch each other, and if they so much as brushed shoulders by accident walking side-by-side, Kyōraku would jump back and stare at Jyuushiro in disgust as if the frail Captain had attempted to molest him.

Jyuushiro hurt. There was no simpler way to explain it. His heart ached every day for what he couldn't have, to have his best friend back, to close the distance _he _had created in their relationship. But most of all, he wanted the pain to _stop. _He always felt so dirty and unloved, like he was filthy for the things he wanted – for the things he had _done _with Shunsui, but deep down, he knew they were what he needed.

Many people looked at Jyuushiro in the way he looked at Shunsui, but he didn't want anyone else; he wanted his best friend. He just couldn't see himself with anyone else. But he knew he needed to stop this or he was going to go insane. He needed to stop pining after someone who would never love him back and find someone who _will. _He knew that – so why did it hurt so much to know that he needed to move on?

With a sigh, Jyuushiro elegantly signed his name on the bottom of a report his Sixth Seat had written, sometimes wishing that he could just die and get this all over and done with.

"Excuse me, Captain?"

Jyuushiro looked up at his guest's voice. He smiled softly, seeing a familiar head of white hair pop into his office. "Hitsugaya-kun. What can I do for you?"

The Third-Seat of the Tenth Division shifted uncomfortably before he spoke again, something that Jyuushiro recognised as very out-of-character; despite how young this boy was, freshly out of the Academy, he was calm and level-headed. Had something happened to upset him or make him uncomfortable?

"I..." The boy's shaggy white hair shook from side-to-side as Hitsugaya Toshiro sighed heavily. "...I have a question..."

Jyuushiro smiled in an encouraging manner. He opened the desk drawer and fumbled around for a few seconds before his hand resurfaced with lolly wrappers. He thrust them at the boy, his eyes bright and shining for once; he really liked Toshiro; the boy's name sounded like his and they both had white hair and green eyes. Toshiro was like the child he had always wanted but couldn't have.

"I don't like sweets..." Toshiro mumbled, uncomfortable as his question weighed heavily on his mind.

"Please." Jyuushiro's smile only widened, an excited look in his eyes.

Toshiro sighed and took the candy. He had no intention of eating them, but he politely slipped them into his pocket let he hurt his elder's feelings.

Jyuushiro smiled and sat back, happy to listen to the young child. "I'm ready if you are, Shiro-chan."

Toshiro bristled visibly but did not comment on his nickname. He instead took a deep breath, just wanting to get everything off his chest. "...How do I know if I am... homosexual?"

Jyuushiro was surprised by this question; out of everything he had been expecting... "...What brought this on, Shiro-chan?"

"Well, everyone says that you're a homosexual..." Toshiro started to explain, a childish innocence surrounding him. Jyuushiro couldn't bring himself to be mad or uncomfortable with the questions; Hitsugaya was very young and may not have understood these things properly. He would need patience in order to learn. "...When I asked what a homosexual was, they said it was... a man who likes other men... I know that homosexuals are not liked very well, and I was worried..."

Jyuushiro's eyes softened at the scared tone in Toshiro's eyes. Shinigami or not, this was still a child who was still coming to terms with such important facts of life. He understood the feeling of worrying about your sexuality; he had wanted to die for so long because he couldn't help who he was attracted to. He couldn't let the same thing happen to Toshiro.

Getting up from his chair slowly, Jyuushiro made his way over to the now-shaking boy. He wrapped his arms around the child, whispering into his ear. "What are you worried about?"

"...If I am... homosexual or not..." Toshiro whispered back. "...I... I don't like women... I never have... But I find myself looking at you more than I should... And if you're really a homosexual, you can help me. ...Right...?"

Jyuushiro nodded. "That's right. Please, do not worry about me pushing you away because of your sexual orientation; I would never do that to you. Feel free to tell me anything you feel comfortable with."

"...I don't understand... I've heard of cruel things happening because of who men like... What if it happens to me...? What if I really am... one of them...?"

"Don't say it like it's a bad thing," Jyuushiro soothed. "You cannot help what gender you are attracted to. I promise you that. There's nothing at all wrong with liking another boy."

"...I'm scared..." Toshiro confided. "...So scared..."

"There's nothing to be scared of. I promise. There's nothing wrong with you at _all. _You're _normal."_

Toshiro buried his face into his elder's chest, taking in the soothing scent of tea that always clung to Jyuushiro's clothes. He sighed softly, feeling at ease in these skinny arms.

"...Will you be disgusted with me for liking you...?" Toshiro couldn't help but ask.

Jyuushiro couldn't help but feel his heart shatter at these words, remembering as clear as crystal the first time he had revealed his feelings to Kyōraku; the feelings of being unwanted and disgusting, as if he were something that was unnatural... He _couldn't _let Toshiro feel those same feelings.

"Of course not, Shiro-chan. ...When I first discovered my feelings... I told my best friend... It was_ him _who I liked... But... ever since then... we've been distant... I feel like I appal him for who I am... He doesn't treat me the same... I love him so much... But he'll never return my feelings... Two-thousand years later..."

"Captain Kyōraku... right...?" Toshiro whispered. He frowned when Jyuushiro nodded. His tiny hand reached up, wiping away the tear that threatened to fall from Ukitake's eye. "I thought so. I've seen the way you look at him."

Jyuushiro nodded. "...I know it's silly... I know I need to move on... But it's hard..."

"...Can you love _me, _Captain Ukitake?" Toshiro asked, his voice wavering slightly. He looked away when the older man fixed his gaze on him. "...I-I know you love... _him, _but... W-we can try together..."

Jyuushiro was silent for a few seconds, thinking over these words. He didn't want to feel as if he was merely using Toshiro for his own pleasure, but... He could at least _try,_ as Toshiro had put it. If it didn't work out, he could end it. If it worked out... well, he could move on like he had been trying to.

"...Okay..."

Toshiro smiled, a bright, childish smile full of innocence. He leant up on his toes and placed his lips against Jyuushiro's cheek, kissing gently.

Jyuushiro blushed but didn't pull away. He smiled down at the boy, running his hand through the messy hair. As Toshiro moved back into his embrace, he couldn't help but hope he was doing the right thing; he didn't want to take advantage of Toshiro and his innocence.


	5. Chapter 5

Jyuushiro and Toshiro hadn't been dating for even a week and already word had gotten out about it. People treated them differently, calling Hitsugaya confused and Ukitake a pedophile who was just using the boy for his own wants.

The two tried not to let it get them down, but it was hard when they were shunned almost everywhere they went. The Captain of the Tenth Squad, Isshin Shiba, seemed fine about it, happy to know his Third Seat was finally doing more in his life than just paperwork. Yamamoto didn't mind their relationship, having found out about the experiment between his two students and now was just happy to know the white-haired male was moving on. The only other person who seemed accepting of it was Toshiro's best friend, Momo Hinamori, and his Lieutenant, Rangiku Matsumoto, both girls looking at the boy like her little brother.

The Captain and Third-seat were sitting at Ugendo, eating lunch together. Toshiro was quiet, still trying to get over the latest batch of insults his squad members had thrown at him. They weren't happy about one of their highest ranking officers being a "little faggot" and, until Isshin had intervened, telling them to get back to their own posts.

"Are you okay, Shiro-chan?" Jyuushiro reached out and grabbed the boy's empty cup, refilling it with tea before he shoved another plate of sweets towards the younger. "Did someone say something again?"

Toshiro just shrugged, shaking his head at the candy he had been offered; he didn't like sweet things, but the older male didn't seem to ever remember this fact, no matter how many times he said it. "Doesn't matter if they did or not..."

"Of course it matters." Ukitake's arms outstretched as he pulled the boy into his lap. He held Toshiro tight, resting his face in shaggy white hair. "I don't want to see you feeling miserable."

Toshiro shrugged again before he pushed the older Shinigami away. "I have to get back to my own Division. I have to help with training the recruits. I'll see you later."

Jyuushiro smiled sadly, his eyes drooping a little as he nodded, knowing he couldn't keep his boyfriend in his arms all the time as much as he wanted to. "I'll be here all day, Shiro-chan."

Hitsugaya nodded, leaving the older male behind. It wasn't that he didn't want to be there – he truly did! – but truth be told, it was making him uncomfortable spending all his time with the white-haired man. He felt safe with the other, but the way everyone was treating them...

While Toshiro walked, he thought about what he was doing. He wondered if it was right to be with the Captain in the manner he was; everyone else carried on as if it were an abomination. He had always wanted to enforce rules and regulations, just do his work and be a good squad member.

So why did it feel like now he was going against everything he believed in? Was it right what he was doing? Or was it wrong like everyone else told him it was?

"Hitsugaya."

Toshiro blinked and looked up at his name. He stopped walking, looking into the face of an annoyed Kyōraku. He stepped back, putting a respectful distance between them before he nodded politely.

"Captain Kyōraku." Toshiro sighed, not wanting to talk to the brunet; he knew what the other had been doing to Jyuushiro, and he hated it. "Can I help you?"

Grey eyes narrowed in what Toshiro could only describe as jealousy. "What are you doing hanging around Jyuu." It wasn't a question.

Toshiro frowned; this was exactly what he had been trying to avoid. "What does it matter to you? You never wanted him."

Shunsui stepped closer, his lips curling into a menacing snarl. "You stay away from Jyuu. He doesn't deserve you."

"Like you deserve him." Toshiro couldn't stop himself from spitting his words out; he knew how much Ukitake loved and wanted to be with his best friend, but said friend had done nothing but push Jyuushiro away and treat him like a disease. "He loved you more than life itself, and you did nothing but make him feel like he was dirty for having such feelings. Now that someone is finally giving him what he's wanted after all these years, who are you to try and stop it? You denied him those feelings for long enough. Let him be happy."

Shunsui reached out and shoved at the small boy, a loud growl escaping his lips. "You can't have him."

"I can and I do." With that said, Toshiro turned his back to the irate Captain, storming off in the direction of the Tenth Division barracks. His mind was full of thoughts about Ukitake and Kyōraku, anger directed towards the brunet who had broken his best friend's heart countless times.

What had Ukitake seen in someone like that? The man cared nothing for love; the only thing he truly cared about was his precious sake and naps on the roof. Someone like that could never be a good partner. They'd neglect the other's needs and care only for themselves! And Jyuushiro was fragile, no matter how much he hid it! He'd need someone who didn't mind looking after him when the illness became too much, or was willing to lend an ear when he needed to talk.

Kyōraku would never deserve someone as loving and sweet as Ukitake. Ever.

With that in mind, Toshiro swore he would never lose Ukitake to someone who was merely jealous, no matter what.


	6. Chapter 6

Jyuushiro was surprised when the door to his home was opened without any warning, a familiar brunet walking straight into his house. With a sigh, he stood up from his desk and walked over to his friend. He was honestly surprised when, for the first time since their experiment in the Academy, Shunsui did not pull away from their close proximity.

"What is it, Shunsui...?" The white-haired male was too weary to put up with his friend today; unless the older was here for important matters, it would be better for him to leave.

Shunsui narrowed his eyes before he spoke, his voice cold. "Captain Hitsugaya and I had a... _talk _today..."

Jyuushiro's heart sunk at these words. It wasn't bad enough that Shunsui was disgusted in him for his orientation, but he had to take it out on a _child, _too...? He raised a hand to his forehead as his eyes slipped closed, his exhaustion hitting him like a cement truck.

"...Please..." The slighter man's voice was weaker than even in his sickest moments. "...Please... Treat me as you will, but Toshiro... Please..."

Kyōraku didn't respond to this verbally; he instead grabbed the younger's shoulders and slammed him against the wall beside them before crushing his lips against pale ones with the force of a tsunami.

Jyuushiro whimpered and pushed at the stronger Captain, trying to break the kiss by turning his head to the side. He was torn; one half of him wanted to allow the taller Shinigami to embrace him, to show his body all the love it could handle, but the other, more rational part, wanted this to stop, knowing that this was most likely nothing more than an act of jealousy, no real emotions or deep feelings behind it. Above all, this would be nothing more than cheating on Toshiro if he allowed this to go any further.

"Shunsui...!" Jyuushiro's frail, delicately long fingers found room against the strong chest before them, pushing the stronger male away with a sharp movement. He panted in an effort to catch his breath, wiping away the saliva that had come from his friend's tongue against his lips. He shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut tight.

"...I..." Jyuushiro's voice trailed off before it sounded again, angrier than it had ever been. "I am not an emotionless object for you to play with, Kyōraku! I have feelings! All you're doing is using me! You're just jealous that I've finally moved on from you and that I'm _happy _with someone now! Why can't you just... let me be happy...? It's all I wanted... To be happy..."

"Be happy with _me," _Shunsui whispered, pressing himself against the younger male again. "You don't need _Hitsugaya."_

"You had your chance!" Jyuushiro shouted. "I felt like I was filthy for how much I loved you! It was all you ever made me feel! I could hardly even _look _at you and you'd act like I had tried to rape you!"

"I'm sorry," Shunsui said. His arms tightened around the slighter male, no intention of letting Ukitake go.

The white-haired man shook his head. "That's not good enough. I'm your _friend! _You...! You've really hurt me..."

Shunsui ignored these words and tried to kiss the younger again, only to receive a harsh slap to the fact. He pulled away at this action, watching his friend warily for a few seconds before he stepped back. He sent a filthy glare towards the frail male before he left without another word.

Jyuushiro just slid down against the wall behind him, dropping his face into his hands as he cried. It hurt. It hurt so fucking much. He wasn't good enough for Shunsui – even now. All the brunet was, was _jealous. _

"I hate this..." Jyuushiro whispered to himself as his body begun to shake. "...I hate this so much..."

While Shunsui disappeared back off to his own division, Jyuushiro curled up on the floor, crying himself to sleep. It wasn't fair that his heart was being played with like this; all he wanted was to be _loved._

_**~~With Shunsui~~**_

The brunet had been so caught up in his thoughts, he almost didn't notice when he bumped into someone on his way back to his office. He apologised automatically, unseeing of whom he had knocked over, and he almost didn't care until the familiar clearing of a throat caught his attention.

The brunet growled as his eyes narrowed, glaring down at the white-haired boy on the ground. "What do _you _want?"

"A _sincere _apology." Toshiro's eyes slitted back, his jaw tense. His blonde-haired Lieutenant was by his side, helping him back to his feet, but he paid her no heed. "You really are an immature child. Did you know that?"

"Yeah, you'd know all about immaturity, wouldn't you?" Shunsui did not speak to Rangiku, not wanting to drag her into this; she was not the one attempting to take his best friend away from him – hell, she probably didn't even have any idea of what was happening. "I'll only say this once more; _stay away from Jyuu."_

"He's not your property." Toshiro was back on his feet by now, his hand resting on the hilt of Hyorinmaru. "I have had enough of you treating him like he is. Do you not realise what you're doing to him?"

Shunsui just rolled his eyes before he continued on his way, muttering a small greeting to Rangiku. He didn't want to waste his time on someone like Toshiro – not when he could be using it to work out how to get his friend away from the Tenth Captain and into his own arms.

Toshiro just glared after the brunet, his white haori flapping in the strong winds. His attention was drawn to his Lieutenant when the woman rested a hand on the boy's shoulder, her confusion showing in her blue eyes.

"What's going on, Captain?" Matsumoto bit her lip, almost afraid of the answer; Shunsui was such a happy, gentle person and it was frightening to see him angry. "Is... something going on with Captain Ukitake?"

Hitsugaya nodded. "Yes... He does not approve of me being with Ukitake. He wants Ukitake to himself. He's a very selfish man."

Rangiku had never seen her drinking buddy in that kind of light before; Shunsui had always seemed so selfless to her. Maybe he... Maybe the stresses of being a Captain were just getting to him. Surely no one was immune to stress, right?

"What's going to happen to your relationship, Captain?" Rangiku couldn't say she wasn't worried about her superior; she knew that Ukitake meant a great deal to Hitsugaya, and they made such an adorable couple.

The strawberry blonde woman hoped, for the two captains' sakes, that their relationship would be okay. They both needed someone to love in their lonely lives, after all.


	7. Chapter 7

The more Kyōraku saw his best friend together with Hitsugaya, the angrier he became about it. Jyuushiro had all but pushed him away, refusing to talk to him and, if they were in the same room together for whatever reason, the white-haired Shinigami acted as if Shunsui didn't exist.

The brunet wasn't sure how much more of this he could take; he didn't consider himself a selfish man, but Jyuushiro was _his. _He wasn't sure what had lead to him wanting the other in such a way apart from the burning envy that arose inside of him once he discovered Jyuushiro had moved on.

Was it fair for him to be thrown away like such an unimportant animal? No. Was it fair he had strung his best friend along only to break his heart in the Academy? No. But he had been disgusted in himself for what he had done with the younger and wanted to erase it from his memory forever.

Things had changed, he knew that. But what? His feelings for Ukitake? Obviously, if he wanted such a repulsive thing from the slighter male. Did this mean he really _was _gay? No – he couldn't be gay if he had slept with more women than he could count. So he was bi? How abhorrent... But if it meant he could have Ukitake to himself, he would have to put up with it.

Shunsui had been walking back from the bar late at night, having drunk himself into an altered state of consciousness. He was usually very good at holding his liquor, normally feeling nothing more than slightly tired, but now he could barely focus on anything. Time was flying, he was feeling irritable, and he could hardly stand properly let alone walk.

As if things couldn't have gotten worse for the drunk man, the brunet's sharp – if not now-unfocused – eyes caught the familiar sight of long white hair swaying with the wind. He growled to himself, seeing the Tenth Captain walking beside _his _Jyuushiro.

With a loud shout, Kyōraku stumbled forward, calling for them to stop. He had never wanted to kill someone just because they were near him before, but looking at Hitsugaya... He wanted the younger boy _dead_ for putting the distance in his friendship with Ukitake. He was drunk, unable to acknowledge the fact that they had grown distant because of _him, _and he _needed _someone to blame. Who better to blame than the child prodigy who had taken his place?

The two whited-haired males had stopped, turning to look at the stumbling male trying to rush towards them. They shared a look before they stood their ground, the stress associated with Shunsui too much to take anymore.

"Please, leave us _alone, _Kyōraku!" Jyuushiro pleaded. "I've had _enough! _I am happy with Toshiro now! You had your chance!"

Shunsui reached out, grabbing the front of Jyuushiro's shihakusho and pulling him close. He crushed his lips against pale ones with bruising force, pressing the smaller man up against the wall of the building behind them.

The brunet's hands forced Ukitake's to the weaker man's side as he rubbed his hips against Jyuushiro's, ignoring the other's struggle, and he only pulled away when a Zanpakuto was placed against his neck in a threatening manner.

"Leave him alone." Toshiro was calm, but his green eyes burned with hatred. "Did you not hear him? He hates you."

"Jyuu would never hate me," the brunet slurred, his blurry eyes running over Toshiro's tiny form. "It's _you _he hates. He's using you."

Jyuushiro held back the tears as he shoved at his friend. His body trembled, not from fear but from anger. He shook his head, unable to hold himself back anymore. "I _hate you! _I hate you _so much, _Kyōraku! Why can't you understand what you've done to me?! It's _you _who's using _me! _You could _never _love me the way _I _love _you!"_

"Bullshit." Shunsui narrowed his eyes as he reached out for his friend again. He was stopped by the feeling of a blade digging into his skin, drawing droplets of blood. He turned to look at Toshiro, his hands moving to his own Zanpakuto. He was just about to draw them when warm hands closed around his own. He glanced back to see Ukitake staring at him, his eyes unreadable.

Before Shunsui could so much as open his mouth to question the younger, he was thrown back with force from Jyuushiro he had only seen a handful of times. He landed on the hard cement ground, staring up at the white-haired man who was now advancing on him, Sogyo no Kotowari drawn.

"I can't take this anymore!" Jyuushiro screamed, his eyes wild with anger. His Zanpakuto was thrust into the ground beside Shunsui's head, a small fissure resulting in his unbridled rage. "You've made me feel so dirty and unloved because I couldn't help but love _you! _You just kept me away and acting like I was _filth _for things I couldn't help! All I wanted was to die because the one I loved most seemed to hate me for who I was! You can't _see _what you've done to me because you don't _want _to see! You don't want to acknowledge you messed up! You don't _deserve _my love! Leave me _alone! _I will _never _forgive you for what you've put me through! You should be happy that _I'm _happy with Toshiro!"

Jyuushiro pulled his Zanpakuto from the ground, raising it as if he were going to drive it through his friend's body. Before he could, however, he was settled by a small hand resting on his side. He glanced down, seeing Toshiro looking up at him.

"No." Toshiro shook his head, his voice soft. "Leave him. He isn't worth it. He probably doesn't even get a word of what you're saying."

Closing his green eyes regretfully, Jyuushiro nodded. He placed his Zanpakuto in its sheath, turning to leave with his boyfriend without a second glance at Shunsui.

Shunsui, however, was thinking over what the younger had said. Had Jyuushiro really felt like that for all these years? Because of _him? _He... had _never _meant to make the frail man feel so bad! Had he been blind to his best friend's emotions? Or had he seen them for what they were and just hadn't cared? Was he... selfish...?

Pushing himself to his feet, Kyōraku stumbled out of the street, making his way back to his Division. He couldn't stop the thoughts that assaulted him, making him understand what he had been doing, how the other had felt because of him. He hated himself for that, he really did. He _loved _his best friend! Maybe he had only ever – and still _did _– love Jyuushiro as a best friend, or maybe he had always loved him romantically but couldn't acknowledge that. Maybe he would never know where he truly stood with Ukitake, but he _did _know that he _had _to stop this; he couldn't bear to let him suffer any longer.

Shunsui was disgusted with the fact that it had taken him getting drunk and _attacked _by Jyuushiro before he realised what he was doing; he really _was _a terrible person, wasn't he?


	8. Chapter 8

Jyuushiro couldn't help but feel upset as he sat on the couch in his living room, Toshiro by his side. It hurt that he had to do that to Shunsui, but he honestly couldn't handle it anymore; knowing that Toshiro was now being targeted because of his feelings...

"I'm sorry..." Jyuushiro hated how weak and pathetic he sounded; he felt so _useless _being unable to stand up to the brunet for his lover.

Hitsugaya shook his head. "What for?"

"...Kyoraku..."

Toshiro sighed as he shook his head; he couldn't say he wasn't annoyed Jyuushiro was taking this so seriously – it should have been _himself _who was worried for his older lover. Reaching out, he took the pale hand in his own, rubbing it with his thumb.

"I think he's made it clear how he feels about this," Toshiro said, his voice as cold as his ice Zanpakuto. "He doesn't care about _you; _he's just _jealous. _You don't need someone like that in your life, Ukitake. Just forget about him and you'll be happier."

Jyuushiro ducked his head, knowing that the other was right but not wanting to admit it. He hurt enough with the betrayal of his best friend and, to be torn between the two he loved the most...

"Toshiro-kun, I..." Before Jyuushiro could explain how he felt about everything that was happening, there was a knock on his office door. He looked at Toshiro before the other stood up and moved to answer it, not wanting to add any extra stress onto the other.

Toshiro's green eyes narrowed as he stared at a ragged Shunsui, the brunet reeking of sake. Grey eyes were bloodshot, but it looked more as if he had been crying than anything else; stains that looked suspiciously like tears marred his stubbled cheeks.

"What do _you _want." Toshiro was tempted to slam the door on the other, not wanting to hear whatever was to be said. "Haven't you done enough?"

"I'm sorry..." the words that left the drunk man's lips were slurred, but not from the alcohol, from _pain. _"...I'm so sorry... I need to see him... To apologise..."

"You honestly think an apology can wipe away all the hurt you've made? Fuck you."

"Wait!" Shunsui's eyes widened and he rushed forward, putting himself between the door and Toshiro, staring behind the smaller boy as if in awe.

Toshiro looked behind him, confused as to what could have elicited this reaction from the Eighth Captain. He turned, finding Jyuushiro standing behind them, tears running down his cheeks.

"..." Jyuushiro didn't speak to his friend; he instead ducked his head, quietly instructing Toshiro to let him in.

As much as Toshiro didn't want to, he stepped back, allowing the other room to come in. He shot a nasty glare at the stubbled man before he followed his two elders further into the room. No one spoke until they were all seated, Jyuushiro behind his desk, Toshiro beside him and Shunsui on the couch that lined the office wall.

Shunsui was the first to speak, quiet and almost _timid, _as if he were terrified of hearing his best friend's response.

"...I'm..." tears welled up in the man's eyes, "...so sorry... I... I-I was so _selfish...! _Jyuu, I... I completely understand that I've been such as _ass _to you! I'm just... I'm just _so fucking sorry _I did this! I didn't think... I... I fucked up... My best friend... I was a _coward...! _I couldn't admit that _I _was the one who was wrong in this... I blamed you... But I... I just don't know what else to say other than sorry... Please... I-I get it if... if you hate me... I can't blame you... Just please... Don't leave me without letting me say sorry..."

"..." Jyuushiro closed his eyes, hiding tearful green orbs. "...You've really hurt me... And now that I'm finally happy, after _all these years... _It felt like you were just trying to use me... Like you didn't care... It hurt so much... Ky... Shunsui... Don't come and apologise like this after so many years... You need to leave me alone... I am happy now... Don't take that away from me..."

A large hand reached up to wipe at his tears as Shunsui shook his head. "You... You're my _best friend...!"_

"You _were _mine... But... You're not good for me... I have to take care of _myself, _now... Just let me be... I want to be alone... It hurts too much to pretend this never happened... Please... Understand..."

As much as Shunsui didn't want to, he could only nod, knowing that he had fucked up, unable to fix the damage he had caused. Maybe Jyuushiro _was _right. Maybe he _had _merely been jealous, attempting to use Jyuushiro just to spite Toshiro. If that was the case... They were better off away from each other, starting fresh with their lives. It would kill him inside, but... if it was what Jyuushiro wanted...

"...Okay..." Shunsui bowed his head in defeat, standing up to leave. Though he had never been one to accept defeat easily, he knew when he was fighting a losing battle. Jyuushiro was determined, he wanted to be alone, he didn't want _Shunsui _in his life anymore... "...Be happy with Toshiro..."

As he turned around to leave, a warm hand grabbed Shunsui's. He turned around, finding Jyuushiro watching him with pained eyes, tears slipping down his pale cheeks.

"...I'll talk to you at the next captains' meeting?" A hopeful tone filled Jyuushiro's soft voice.

Shunsui's eyes widened; did Jyuushiro... Still want to be around him...? "...What...?"

"...It hurts to be like this, but..." Jyuushiro coughed before he continued, "...it hurts more to know that we'll never... be _friends _again... I... I want to start over..."

As realisation watched over Shunsui, he couldn't help but smile, squeezing the hand that held his. He nodded, knowing that this could be the answer to their problems; they would never fix what had happened between them, but maybe... Just maybe... starting over could help ease the pain better than completely severing their relationship...

Jyuushiro smiled back. "Hi. I'm Jyuushiro Ukitake."

Shunsui couldn't help but laugh before he replied, feeling tears of happiness slide down his cheeks, mingling with his stubble. "Shunsui Kyōraku. Nice to meet you."

Toshiro watched from the desk, ready to intervene the second he felt something was about to go wrong but, as he watched, he couldn't help but notice the genuine smile gracing Ukitake's face. Having gotten his best friend back... Jyuushiro was happy again.

As long as things would work out this time, if Jyuushiro could be happy than Toshiro could, too, even if he would never get over his resentment for Shunsui. But, looking at them now, he didn't think either of them would hurt the other again.

**What a cheesy ending! I originally planned to have them completely cut ties but it was too sad to do so XD If you notice anything you think should be different to make it not as cheesy, please do point out! XD**


End file.
